Calculating split days: how to do it? Rules and procedures

How do you calculate a split day? quarksUp, your HRIS expert, guides you through everything you need to know about this topic! 

You've heard of split days, but you don't really understand how they work. Is there a formula for calculating split days? How can you benefit from them? QuarksUp explains the conditions for applying them and provides the formula for obtaining these extra days off. 

The 3 key points to remember: 

• Split days are days of leave granted to an employee who has not taken their main leave during the summer period. 
• To benefit from this, several conditions defined in the Labor Code must be met; 

• Whether on a fixed-term or permanent contract, all employees are eligible. 

Calculating split days: method and simple rule with example

What the law says

The calculation of split days is defined by the Labor Code. The 24 main vacation days must be taken between June 1 and October 31. If all other conditions mentioned are met, the employee may benefit from split days according to the following calculations: 

1 business day, if they take between 3 and 5 days off outside this period; 

2 business days, if he takes at least 6 days off outside this period. 

The fifth week of paid leave is not taken into account when determining the number of split days. 

These calculation rules may be changed by the collective bargaining agreement applicable to the company or by company agreements. The employee may then be entitled to three split days, for example. 

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Calculation method and examples

Calculating split days is a common practice in the human resources sector to determine the number of remaining vacation days for an employee who has taken paid leave for a period shorter than the reference period. To perform this calculation, follow these steps: 

1. Determine the reference period: this is usually a calendar year, but may vary depending on internal company policies.
2. Calculate the number of statutory annual leave days: according to current legislation and collective agreements, employees are entitled to a certain number of paid leave days per year. For example, let's assume that the employee is entitled to 25 days of annual leave. 
3. Determine the number of vacation days already taken: Count the number of vacation days the employee has already taken during the reference period. For example, if the employee has taken 15 vacation days so far. 
4. Subtract the days of leave already taken from the total number of annual leave days: In this example, 25 (annual leave days) - 15 (days of leave already taken) = 10 days of leave remaining. 

If the employee has taken more days off than they are entitled to, there may be specific rules for handling the excess. For example, these additional days could be deducted from future leave or considered as unpaid days. 

It is important to note that policies regarding split days may vary from one company to another, so it is essential to refer to internal policies and applicable laws in order to perform the calculation accurately.

How do I get the 2 days of splitting?

Did you know? How do you calculate split days for a new employee? 

If the employee's contract began during the year, they may still be eligible for split days. To qualify, they must have accrued at least 15 days of paid leave and have taken 12 consecutive days between May 1 and October 31. 

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Reminder: definition of a split day

Before calculating a split day, it is important to understand their definition.  

Article L3141-23 of the Labor Code defines how split days work. According to this text, employees are entitled to 30 working days of paid leave, or 5 weeks. These are distributed as follows: 

• 24 working days of main leave; 
• 6 working days representing the 5th week of paid leave. 

Split days are added to these 30 business days. 

The main leave period (maximum of four consecutive weeks) must be taken between May 1 and October 31. If this is not the case, the employee may, under certain conditions, be entitled to additional leave for splitting the leave period.

Good to know! How to calculate paid leave? 

Calculating paid leave is very easy. Employees accrue 2.5 working days of paid leave per month. That is 2.5 x 12 = 30 days of paid leave per year.

The calculation of split days is clearly defined by the Labor Code. Every employee is eligible, provided they meet the eligibility criteria. 

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